How to Become an Esthetician | Esthetician Schools Midland NC

How to Choose an Esthetician Training Program near Midland North Carolina

Midland NC esthetician client with cucumber facial Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and enroll in an esthetician school near Midland NC, the process begins to find and enroll in the best program. It’s essential that the school you select not only furnishes the proper training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing exam. When you begin your preliminary search, you might be a little bit unclear about the difference between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don’t be, because the names are pretty much interchangeable and both relate to the same kind of school. We’ll discuss a little bit further concerning that in the following segment. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will need to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Midland residence. Tuition will additionally be an important consideration when assessing prospective schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the lowest cost it’s not necessarily the ideal choice. There are several other considerations that you should evaluate when analyzing schools, for instance their reputation and accreditation. We will review what questions you should ask regarding the cosmetology schools you are looking at later in this article. Before we do, let’s discuss a bit about what cosmetology is, and what types of courses are offered.

Defining Cosmetology

esthetics facial toners Midland NC Cosmetology is an occupation that is all about making the human body look more attractive through the application of cosmetics. So of course it makes sense that a number of cosmetology schools are described as beauty schools. Most of us think of makeup when we hear the word cosmetics, but basically a cosmetic can be almost anything that enhances the look of a person’s skin, hair or nails. In order to work as a cosmetologist, almost all states require that you take some kind of specialized training and then become licensed. Once licensed, the work environments include not only Midland NC beauty salons and barber shops, but also such businesses as spas, hotels and resorts. Many cosmetologists, once they have gained experience and a client base, establish their own shops or salons. Others will begin seeing customers either in their own residences or will go to the client’s house, or both. Cosmetology college graduates are known by many names and work in a wide range of specializations including:

Estheticians
Hairdressers
Hairstylists
Beauticians
Barbers
Manicurists
Nail Technicians
Makeup Artists
Hair Coloring Specialists
Electrolysis Technicians

As already stated, in most states practicing cosmetologists have to be licensed. In a few states there is an exemption. Only those performing more skilled services, such as hairstylists, are required to be licensed. Others employed in cosmetology and less skilled, such as shampooers, are not required to get licensed in those states.

Esthetician Degrees and Certificates

Midland NC esthetician client with face mask There are essentially two options available to get esthetician training and a credential upon completion. You can enroll in a certificate (or diploma) course, or you can pursue an Associate’s degree. Certificate programs typically call for 12 to 18 months to finish, while an Associate’s degree commonly takes about 2 years. If you enroll in a certificate program you will be trained in all of the main areas of cosmetology. Briefer programs are offered if you prefer to concentrate on just one area, for instance esthetics. A degree program will also likely include management and marketing training to ensure that graduates are better prepared to operate a parlor or other Midland NC business. More advanced degrees are not common, but Bachelor and Master’s degree programs are available in such areas as salon or spa management. Whichever type of training program you decide on, it’s imperative to make sure that it’s recognized by the North Carolina Board of Cosmetology. A number of states only recognize schools that are accredited by certain highly regarded agencies, for example the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS). We will examine the advantages of accreditation for the school you select in the following segment.

Online Esthetics Courses

woman attending esthetician school online in Midland NC Online esthetician programs are convenient for Midland NC students who are employed full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be accessed via a desktop computer or laptop at the student’s convenience. More traditional beauty programs are frequently fast paced because many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a significant portion of time is spent in the classroom. With online programs, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you are not spending many hours away from your home or travelling back and forth from classes. On the other hand, it’s imperative that the school you choose can provide internship training in area salons and parlors in order that you also get the hands-on training required for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it’s difficult to gain the skills needed to work in any facet of the cosmetology field. So be sure if you decide to enroll in an online school to verify that internship training is provided in your area.

What to Ask Esthetician Training Courses

Midland NC models benefit from esthetic treatments Following is a series of questions that you should research for any esthetician training program you are contemplating. As we have previously discussed, the location of the school in relation to your Midland home, together with the price of tuition, will probably be your primary qualifiers. Whether you wish to pursue a certificate, diploma or a degree will probably be next on your list. But once you have reduced your school choices based on those initial qualifications, there are additional factors that you should research and consider before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have compiled some of those additional questions that you need to ask every school before making a final selection.

Is the School Accredited? It’s necessary to make sure that the esthetician school you pick is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education certified local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Programs accredited by the NACCAS must measure up to their high standards guaranteeing a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation may also be important for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which typically are not offered in 28107 for non- accredited schools. It’s also a criteria for licensing in several states that the training be accredited. And as a concluding benefit, numerous Midland NC businesses will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more positively upon individuals with accredited training.

Does the School have a Good Reputation? Every esthetician school that you are seriously evaluating should have a good to excellent reputation within the field. Being accredited is an excellent beginning. Next, ask the schools for references from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Check that the schools have high job placement rates, signifying that their students are highly sought after. Check rating companies for reviews as well as the school’s accrediting organizations. If you have any relationships with Midland NC salon owners or managers, or anyone working in the industry, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not thought of. And last, check with the North Carolina school licensing authority to see if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in total compliance.

What’s the School’s Specialty? A number of esthetician schools offer programs that are broad in nature, focusing on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a particular specialty, for instance hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs often broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it’s imperative that you select a school that specializes in your area of interest. If your objective is to be trained as an esthetician, make sure that the school you enroll in is accredited and respected for that program. If your desire is to open a Midland NC beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator. Choosing a highly ranked school with a poor program in the specialty you are seeking will not provide the training you require.

Is Plenty of Live Training Provided? Practicing and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Find out how much live, hands-on training is furnished in the cosmetology courses you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on site that allow students to practice their growing skills on real people. If a beauty academy provides minimal or no scheduled live training, but instead relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it may not be the most effective alternative for developing your skills. So look for other schools that offer this kind of training.

Does the School Provide Job Assistance? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician program, it’s important that he or she receives help in finding that initial job. Job placement programs are an important part of that process. Schools that furnish help develop relationships with Midland NC employers that are seeking qualified graduates available for hiring. Check that the schools you are considering have job placement programs and ask which salons and organizations they refer students to. Additionally, ask what their job placement rates are. Higher rates not only affirm that they have wide networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.

Is Financial Assistance Available? Most esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Check if the schools you are investigating have a financial aid department. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you might qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships accessible to students as well. If a school satisfies each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an alternative until you find out what financial assistance may be offered.

Attending Esthetician School Near Midland NC?

Perhaps you live in the Midland North Carolina area, or have found a school that you will commute to or even relocate to attend. Either way, following is some interesting background information about the location of your new esthetician program.

Midland, North Carolina

Midland is a town in southern Cabarrus County in the U.S. state of North Carolina.[1] Located in the Charlotte region of North Carolina, Midland is a 30-minute commute to uptown Charlotte. The name of the town is derived from its location approximately halfway between Charlotte and Oakboro on the railroad line. As of July, 2014, the town population was 3,507.[3]

Visitors and new residents to the area are often surprised to learn the local pronunciation of the town's name. In local parlance, "Midland" is pronounced as a spondee, with nearly equal verbal emphasis on both first and last syllables. Other Midlands around the country, including those in Texas and Michigan, are generally pronounced with emphasis on the first syllable. While Midlanders may refer to "MID-lind," Texas, they themselves live in "MID-LAND," North Carolina.

Midland began as a railroad town about 1913 with the arrival of rail service via the North Carolina Railroad (NCRR). The town is now incorporated, as of 2000. Prior to Midland's becoming a railroad village, a community named Garmon existed in the area (a few miles to the east) around the Garmon Mill begun by Michael Garmon in the late-1700s, and Garmon appears on an 1864 map of North Carolina. Another community located to the west, Cabarrus Station, also predated Midland as a railroad stop, and has been incorporated into the town of Midland.

Select the Right Esthetics Training Program near Midland NC

Selecting and enrolling in the ideal esthetician school is important to receive the appropriate training to become a licensed cosmetology professional. Make sure to ask all the questions that you need to so as to feel certain about your decision. Make sure to consolidate all of the information you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, prioritize what matters the most to you, and then use that information to compare schools. A good start in your due diligence process is to make certain that the school and program you decide on are accredited and have exceptional reputations within the field. If you begin with that base, and address the additional questions provided in this article, you will be able to filter your list of schools so that you can make the proper selection. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be self-assured that you are prepared to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Midland NC.